Guide to the George R. Koehler Papers 1908-1944 MG 1642

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Access Points
Administrative Information

Container List

George R. Koehler Documents


Guide to the George R. Koehler Papers
1908-1944
MG 1642
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249
Email: library@jerseyhistory.org
URL: https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2006 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by Robert Vrabel.

Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. May 2006. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary

Creator: Koehler, George R., 1883-1949.
Title: George R. Koehler Papers
Dates 1908-1944
Quantity: .66 linear feet
Collection Number: MG 1642

Biographical Note

The George Richard Koehler collection contains the papers and artifacts of Koehler, who served in the United States Army from 1908 to 1944. Koehler was from Somerville New Jersey, and attended the public school system. He then went on to Rutgers College where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1905. In 1902 he had enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard. In 1908 he resigned from the National Guard to accept commission to the regular army. Between 1908 and 1944 he served at many different locations, including the Philippine Islands, Fort Lincoln, North Dakota, Fort Liscum, Alaska, Camp Cody, New Mexico, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He held various posts, including fire marshal, treasurer, quartermaster, and professor.

He married Miss Ann Louise Hardeman, of Arkansas, in 1910. He had three children, Grace G. Koehler, born July 25, 1915, Lillian Louise Koehler, born December 30, 1916, and George R. Koehler Jr., born July 6, 1921. His first wife died in 1932 and he remarried in the late 1930s. George Koehler Jr. was later killed in action during World War II while serving in Sicily in July 1943.

George R. Koehler’s final rank upon retiring from the milirary was Colonel. He led a very successful and honored career, and was awarded the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal in 1934. Koehler also was a professor of military science at Rutgers University from 1940 until his retirement in 1944. He died on October 24, 1949, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection includes a variety of documents including personal correspondence, official army documents, telegrams, photographs, speech transcripts, and newspaper clippings. The bulk of the items are military correspondence from his service in the Army from 1908 to 1943. The remainder is from his retirement in 1944 and its announcement the year before. There are also two letters written to Koehler’s daughter, Grace G. Koehler.

At the front of the collection is a detailed biographical sketch of George R. Koehler titled “The Life and Career of George R. Koehler,” written by Robert A. Vrabel.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.
Subject Names:
Koehler, George, 1883-1949.
Koehler, Grace G., b. 1915.
Koehler, Lillian Louise.
Subject Organizations:
New Jersey. National Guard.
Rutgers University
United States. Army.
Subject Topics:
Armed forces–Officers.
College teachers–New Jersey.
Communications–Military.
Military correspondence.
Military leaves and furloughs.
Military retirements.
World War, 1914-1918.
World War, 1939-1945.
Subject Places:
Fort George Wright (Wash.)
Fort Lawton (Seattle, Wash.)
Fort Leavenworth (Kan.)
Fort Lincoln (Burleigh County, N.D.)
Fort Liscum (Alaska)
New Brunswick (N.J.)
Philippines.
Document Types:
Clippings.
Letters (Correspondence).
Official documents.
Photographs.
Tax returns.
Telegrams.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

This collection was purchased in 2003.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 1642, George R. Koehler Papers, The New Jersey Historical Society.

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Container List

George R. Koehler Documents

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 War dept circular of information, and orders to proceed to Manila, P.I. via San Francisco 1908
1 2 Army documents, personal correspondence 1909
1 3 Army documents, orders, schedules 1910
1 4 Army documents, appointments, orders 1911
1 5 Army documents, requests, orders 1912
1 6 Army documents, orders, assignments 1913
1 7 Army documents 1914
1 8 Personal and official correspondence, army documents, and income tax form 1917
1 9 Army documents, reports, requests, appointments, and telegram 1918
1 10 Army documents, orders, official correspondence, and appointments 1919
1 11 Army documents, appointments, orders 1920
1 12 Personal and official correspondence, Army documents, and appointments 1921-1925
1 13 Speeches: given at a dinner in honor of NJ Gov. Larson, in Sea Girt, NJ; given at Wyandotte High School, Kansas City, KS.; given at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. 1931; 1937;1938
1 14 Correspondence and telegrams of Koehler and his daughter Grace G. Koehler 1930s
1 15 Photographs 1934-1944
1 16 Original newspaper clippings and copies 1934-1943
1 17 Personal correspondence to Grace G. Koehler 1940-1942

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